In this Smithsonian oral history interview, Bill Gates discusses his early life, education and growing interest in computers and business. He describes learning programming at Lakeside School, working with Paul Allen, experimenting with early microprocessors and developing Traf-O-Data. Gates then recounts how the Altair computer prompted them to create a BASIC interpreter, an episode that helped lead to the establishment and early growth of Microsoft.

The interview follows Microsoft’s development from programming languages into operating systems and applications. Gates discusses the IBM PC, DOS, Microsoft Word, relations with Apple, the rise of compatible PCs, Windows, OS/2 and Windows NT, alongside decisions about recruitment, competition and corporate strategy. He also reflects on the broader history of personal computing and its effects on business, education and communication. Looking ahead from the early 1990s, Gates anticipates increasingly widespread networked computers, digital information services and new forms of communication, while briefly considering longer-term developments in artificial intelligence.